Nothing Civil About War in Syria, Says Assad

"We do not have a civil war, since a civil war is based on inter-confessional, ethnic, religious or other conflicts," Assad explained, adding:

"We do not have this in Syria. You can go anywhere, particularly in government-controlled areas, and can see all the layers of Syrian society living peacefully alongside one another."

"The war has taught us a very important lesson. Our diverse society has become much more united than it was before the war. We learned this lesson."

Time and again throughout the war, I explained the same thing. Syria is Obama's war, now Trump's - naked aggression launched for regime change, continuing with no prospect in sight for resolution.

Washington wants another imperial trophy, a sovereign independent state replaced by pro-Western puppet rule, an Israeli rival eliminated, Iran isolated ahead of a similar scheme to topple its government.

That's what imperialism is all about, diabolical viciousness for dominance by brute force, no nation more ruthless about it over a longer duration than America.

"Land of the free and home of the brave," "America the beautiful," its self-styled exceptionalism and indispensable state rubbish are cover for permanent wars of aggression, barbarous rampaging, rage for global dominance, indifference to virtually everything just societies hold dear.

Indigenous people had to go, mass slaughter the way, winning the west accomplished by eliminating them.

Hitler modeled his "final solution" on the American holocaust, genocide defined as destroying a nation or ethnic group by "tyrannicide, homicide, infanticide, etc." - including its culture and heritage.

NATO was established to serve its interests first and foremost. Today it's a killing machine, a force for pure evil, not good.

Its existence threatens humanity's survival, notably because of Washington's aim to make it global force for colonizing planet earth, an agenda for endless wars and chaos, aiming for ruler-serf societies worldwide, wealth and powerful interests dominating all others.

General Smedley Butler famously explained it, saying "I spent 33 years and four months in active military service, and during that period I spent most of my time as a high-class muscle man for Big Business, for Wall Street and the bankers" - a "gangster" for monied interests.

"…I might have given Al Capone a few hints. The best he could do was to operate his racket in three districts. I operated on three continents."

His book titled "War is a Racket" is a powerful anti-war classic, far more relevant now than when he wrote it in 1935 during the Great Depression and FDR's New Deal era - polar opposite the scourge of neoliberal harshness, supported by both right wings of US duopoly governance.

In his interview with NTV, Assad covered much more ground, his remarks always candid straightforward, an antidote to duplicitous Western politicians, notably US ones.

He called alleged Syrian use of CWs "fairy tales…(fabricated) stories…used when…terrorists under their control, are defeated in some part of Syria."

US-supported terrorists are down but not out, he stressed. ISIS, al-Nusra, and likeminded jihadists aren't going away. Washington, NATO, Israel, and their allies will "use them again and again, but under different names."

He blasted the West, saying it's "distant from the concept of integrity. They do not give. They only take." They rape and destroy for their own self-interest.

Asked if he'll run for another term in 2021, he said what he explained many times before. He'll serve if Syrians want him. He's overwhelmingly popular. Without strong support, he'll step aside for new leadership.

He stressed the following:

The "problem (with) West is that they do not have statesmen…only fake politicians. Fake politics needs fake news."

"Tales about chemical weapons are part of this fake. Western politicians, and I'm not talking about the people, only the politicians, there is absolutely no sense of morality or moral principles."